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Iraq PM Maliki’s coalition

Prime Minister Maliki’s coalition for the national elections in January was announced today. It includes Sunnis, Kurds and Christians. The New York Times points out that the “headdresses of tribal leaders significantly outnumbered the turbans of clerics, a significant shift, given the religious and sectarian roots of Mr. Maliki’s own party, Dawa.”

As expected, Maliki will be playing the secularism card once again.

On Maliki emulating Saddam’s tactics, the Washington Post states: “Borrowing a page from former President Saddam Hussein, he also sought to curry the support of Iraq’s tribes, both Sunni and Shiite, who were lavished with jobs, cars and other patronage in the last decade of Hussein’s rule.”

The coalition isn’t what Maliki would have hoped it would be given that it doesn’t include any prominent Sunnis, Shias or Kurds. Still, negotiations are ongoing and others could join at some other point.